Predicting the emissions of individual VOCs from petroleum-based indoor coatings

The indoor use of petroleum-based coating materials may cause elevated volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations. This paper presents a newly developed mass transfer model for estimating the emissions of individual VOCs from freshly coated surfaces. Results of a four-step validation show that the predicted individual VOC emissions are in good agreement with experimental data generated in small chambers and an indoor air quality test house. The values of the parameters introduced in this model are all easily obtained, and thus its utilization can provide indoor air quality professionals with emission rate estimates for individual VOCs without having to conduct costly dynamic chamber testing.